A Roadmap to Success

A Roadmap to Success


Golden Rule No. 1: There can be no roadmap to success!!!
Well, have I finished before we even started? Why! We were here to draw a roadmap to success and if there is no such thing then what is left to discuss?
I said that there is no roadmap to success because success is a relative term. It might mean a certain thing to me and an entirely different thing to you. However, one thing is certain, when one is successful, in whatever manner perceived by him / her, the world can see it. Power shows and so does success.
So if there is no roadmap to success, how to plan and make sure that you achieve it? There are a few key teachings, thoughts, ideas that can help you to draw your own roadmap. Yes, since success is relative and means different things to different people, the path to achieve it would also be different and would require to be drawn by each one of us for ourselves. We can only discuss the framework based on which we can structure our ideas. So let’s start. We already have the first golden rule. There is no fixed recipe to success. Everyone have to brew their own stew here.
Golden Rule No. 2: Be ready for failures.
As they say, “Success lies in winning the war, not every battle.” When you fight, you fight to win. But sometimes, it is inevitable to fail. Never underestimate your enemy or competitor. After all, they are also fighting to win. Even if you do fail, remember that this is not the end of life. Get up and fight again. What you need is not unmatched talent so that you will succeed in each match, but persistence and perseverance to ensure that you have a higher winning ratio.
Golden Rule No. 3: Look for good in people.
Sooner or later what you will get out of life is what you see and perceive it to be. What you expect is what you will get. You see the world to be dishonest, cunning and selfish, and these are the types of people you will meet. Expect them to be honest and helpful and so they would be. This might not hold true in 100% of the cases. But this is the rule of majority. You give out to the world what you expect in return. And when you give good, you will receive it back, and that would place you up on the ladder to success.
Golden Rule No. 4: Believe in the impossible.
Never limit yourself. If you don’t dream it, you would never achieve it. You can plan to start with smaller dreams that are relatively easier to achieve. When you see them turning into realities, it would give your confidence a boost and you will start dreaming of bigger and more impossible dreams, and ultimately that which seemed to be impossible would look like just another threshold to be crossed.
Golden Rule No. 5: Mind your tongue.
Basic lessons of etiquette are very useful in our plans to be successful. You would not be successful even if you are a billionaire but people see you as a rude, uncouth and unworthy human being. In fact, the way we talk is a reflection of our inner self which reflects in all spheres of life, be it education, business, personal relations or social standing. Words spoken by us are a window to the mind, and the way they are spoken is the key to success.
Golden Rule No. 6: Balance work and play.
All work and no play made jack a dull boy. Take some time out for yourself. Never let your hobbies die. I don’t say that don’t work hard. I say that you slog yourself each moment in the present in order to achieve a better tomorrow and when you achieve that tomorrow you realize that you have wasted away your entire life for a moment of achievement. You have overlooked millions of tiny success movements is order to relish this big one. What good would that success be? Do take a breath and smell the roses while you are on the road to the ultimate success.
Golden Rule No. 7: Be a self motivator.
Its great to hear words of wisdom when you are feeling low. Having a shoulder to cry upon, a backup friend, a guide by your side is incomparable. But you should remember that the world may not always be the same. The people who today are pillars of your strength might not be there with you tomorrow. Learn to be self-dependent. The most difficult decisions in life have to be taken alone. Even if people are there to advice you, you will take action only when your self allows you to. So be a self motivator. Read good self help books, listen to great people’s lectures, attend self-esteem and confidence building workshops. But remember that the greatest strength that you can derive from any source is your own mind, which will help you succeed in life.
Golden Rule No. 8: Be persistent – Don’t quit.
Often people give up all when they face a continuous series of disappointments. They seldom realize that they were just an inch away from success when they thought they’d had enough and left it. Never quit. Well, its easier said than done. Derive motivation from the proverbial ant which climbed the wall again and again even after falling innumerable times and finally made it to the top. Achievement is not a miracle. It takes years and years of persistent hard work and dedication for a student to become a doctor, engineer, artist, musician, actor, etc. Results appear when you have put in the required amount of labor.
Golden Rule No. 9: Stop worrying and start living.
Smile! It looks good on your face and it is contagious. When you smile you look appealing and people get attracted to you. When you smile your heart feels lighter and the world seems beautiful. Worrying about the outcome of your actions would never give you any solace. If the outcome has to be positive, there is no need to worry and if it has to be negative, it would not change no matter how much you worry about it. Remember that life is a beautiful opportunity. Keep doing efforts but never stop enjoying them. If you don’t smile in today and keep worrying for the future, your life would one day have passed in front of your eyes and it would be too late to live it again.
Golden Rule No. 10: Be down to earth.
Nothing succeeds like success. Successful people often tend to become proud and arrogant. They are the ones who have tasted easy success; or have inherited it; or if they have earned it themselves are unfortunate enough to not value it. Yes, that is correct. Success should not go to your head. Being successful is relative. I am more successful than you, you are more successful than someone else, and still someone else could be more successful than me. Define success for yourself. Is it having that specific position in your company, or is it owning a house in that particulars posh street, or is it having ‘x’ amount of net wealth. It could be anything to you. But once you achieve it, relish in it for a while and move ahead for accomplishing another goal. Don’t stay with your success for too long. If you don’t move, you tend to stagnate and rot. Movement and change is the law of life. Live your life as a continuous journey. Because success lies in the journey and not in the destination.